A scene from Mommy’s Calf.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Students across the UAE continue to relish the power of global cinema dedicated to young audiences, as the 8th annual Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFF 2021) continues to reach out to more schools across the nation. On Wednesday (October 13), 12 short films, including Tulip, Big Little Man, Only a Child and Sweet Taste of Darkness were screened along with a feature film, Running against the Wind. 

The concluding day’s fare on Friday, October 15, is equally interesting, with 10 celebrated short films, a full-length feature and a heartwarming documentary.

The Main Cinema section will offer six short films that ponder the human condition from the viewpoint of children.

Among them, Pencil, set in Singapore in the 1990s, focuses on the adventures of two school girls whose relationship becomes strained over a question of values; Yarne has an unusual setting – a Tibetan monastery – with the tiny monks coming to terms with worldly temptations; Mommy’s Calf  documents the coming of age of a little boy when he learns the value of relationships.

Kiko and The Animals, Migrants and Fly are the other short films being streamed.

The main feature film of the day, Kings of Mulberry Street, is a buddy movie with a heart, narrating the story of Baboo and his best friend Ticky, and how they get better of the local bully.

Ander, a heartwarming documentary by Kazakh journalist Alina Mustafina, chronicles the life of a lively five-year-old boy who, despite suffering from asthma and a severe uncommon dairy allergy which isolates him from other children at mealtime, simply enjoys his childhood. Despite the ailments, Ander is a happy kid.

In the Mini Cinema section, the Korean musical short Ode to Misfits throws light on chromesthesia, a unique condition where a person perceives sounds as colours. Noru who suffers from chromesthesia is admitted to a mental hospital where she comes across other people with different disorders. The inspiring film gives voice to people suffering from these challenges globally.

Standup tells the story of Joseph, an eight-year-old boy on the island of Martinique, who lives in a fantasy world, fearing an attack by Lentikri, an ancient Martinican monster that he believes is skulking around the house.

Al-Sit and Timo’s Winter are the other short films being shown in the section.

Organised by FUNN – Sharjah Media Arts for Youth and Children, SIFF 2021 hosted more than 80 films from 38 countries, including 6 world premieres, 35 Middle East and 3 GCC premieres, and four films being shown for the first time in the UAE. The festival concludes on Friday.

An earlier report said with audience participation across its discussions, workshops and screenings increasing over the first four days, the eighth edition of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFF 2021) has also been reaching out to young cinema buffs in various schools across the UAE.

On Tuesday hundreds of students aged 4 and above enjoyed 20 short films including Zog and the Flying Doctor; Don’t Give Up; Girls Talk about Football; and La Bestia.

People from around the world flock to the virtual theatres of the 8th Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFF 2021) to relish 80+ high-quality films that bring together a diversity of creative voices to tell the stories of the younger generation. SIFF 2021 organiser, FUNN, is also taking the magic of cinema to hundreds of school students across the nation. A total of 13 films featuring 12 shorts including Family Bonds; The School by the Sea; Barcode; and 1 feature-length documentary, The Orphanage mixed fun and learning for schoolers, aged 4 and above, were slated to be shown on Monday.

From Tulip, an award-winning stop-motion adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina to Mush-Mush and the Mushables featuring a trio of fun-loving fungi who embark on a journey of self-discovery and the heartwarming tale of a plucky little dinosaur in Tiny T. Rex And The Impossible Hug, Day 4 of the eighth edition of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFF) opens its ‘Main Cinema’ virtual screenings with valuable life lessons in kindness, perseverance, and a never-say-die spirit.